My God and My Country

Word of God

Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God

Matthew 4:4

The Book of Lamentations 5:16

16 The crown of our head is fallen: woe now unto us, that we have sinned.

Brethren:

The royal dignity was their glory, but that also was gone: The crown has fallen from our head, not only the king himself fallen into disgrace, but the crown; he has no successor; the regalia are all lost. Note, Earthly crowns are fading falling things; but, blessed be God, there is a crown of glory that fades not away, that never falls, a kingdom that cannot be moved. Upon this complaint, but with reference to all the foregoing complaints, they make that penitent acknowledgment, "Woe unto us that we have sinned! Alas for us! Our case is very deplorable, and it is all owing to ourselves; we are undone, and, which aggravates the matter, we are undone by our own hands. God is righteous, for we have sinned.’’ All our woes are owing to our own sin and folly. If the crown of our head be fallen (for so the words run), if we lose our excellency and become mean, we may thank ourselves, we have by our own iniquity profaned our crown and laid our honour in the dust.

Now, take note herein that this is not to be considered as an imprecation or denunciation of misery; but as a commiseration of their case; calling upon others to it, and particularly God himself, to have mercy upon them; for, alas for them! they had sinned, and justly deserved what was come upon them; and therefore throw themselves at the feet of mercy, and implore divine compassion.

And so we likewise see today brethren. Have we not as a people turned from His face, and sought the wisdom of men? We have sinned friends, as individuals, as a people, as a nation. As such we cannot be blessed by the hands of His providence. Let us therefore return to our first love; that of the love of God. Otherwise by our own follies we will be as those above, lamenting the loss of all of God’s wondrous blessings and by the hedge of protection (See Job 1:10; Psalm 89:40; Psalm 139:5) in which we were once shrouded.